Flirting With Disaster
by brighteyes87
Summary: A re-write of Asking for Trouble. AU. Buffy's fiancee tells her he has been cheating. She goes back home to California to work for a PR company when a guy from her past shows up. B/A of course! Like I'd write anything else? Please review!
1. Prologue

**Flirting With Disaster**  
A Re-write of Asking For Trouble

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters… Of course, unless they aren't part of the Buffy/Angelverse… Then they are mine.

**Prologue**

They walked into the apartment that they shared in New York. It was a small but decent apartment located on the Upper East Side, the greatest perk was the rent control. Parker was always about appearance, it didn't matter that they used almost all their money to just pay the rent, all he really cared about was that they had the show. But still, even to her, it was home, and it was something she hadn't had since her mother passed away while she was in her sophomore year of college. Thankfully, her uncle took in her younger sister, and as soon as she graduated from UC Sunnydale, she found herself following the boyfriend that she had been dating since her junior year to New York City.

So it didn't surprise her when a year ago, while dining at Mesa Grill, he got down on one knee and popped the question. Four years of dating, she figured that it was about time, and thinking that he was the only one for her, she said yes. It seemed natural, they loved each other, it was the obvious next step. So after a year of preparing, it was getting down to the wire, and the closer it came to the date, three months to be exact, the more nervous she became about it. The more she began to question her feelings towards the man who shared her bed with her at night. Surely it was only cold feet?

They had just come from dinner with his friends, colleagues who, for the most part, she liked. That is, all of them except for Brenda. Buffy had always been unsure of her overly groomed body, her size three, five foot, eight inch frame. And for god sakes, why would anyone that tall still insist on wearing four-inch heels? She had noticed the way Brenda flirted with her fiancée, the simple flick of the hair, the head tilted to the side as he spoke, the way she sometimes rested her hand on his while he spoke. She was brazen, that was certain. Though she always thought her fiancée to be ignorant of this; she had often asked him and he seemed to be unaware of it.

"Buffy, we need to talk." Parked said as she put the teakettle on the stove. She was still a bit tipsy from the alcohol that had been consumed and figured that she should drink something before going to bed. She turned to face him, her eyes scanning his face, noting for the first time that night, the concern and apprehension that seemed to wash over him as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"What's wrong?" She felt her heart drop from her chest to her stomach as she walked to the table and sat down beside him, his leg wedging itself between hers as he took her small hand into his larger one.

"I just don't think this is working." He said simply, his eyes not looking up from their hands. She could feel her heart almost stop in her chest. And, although it had been something she had been thinking about for a while, it was something that she thought would pass, moreover, she had no idea that the same things had been going through his head and it broke her heart, almost.

"What do you mean?" She choked, not sure,if what he said was what she heard.

"I think we should call of the wedding… Break up, it just doesn't feel like it use to be. We aren't the same people anymore and I think you know that too." She could feel her eyes fill with tears as she heard him talk.

"So you're telling me this now? Three months before the wedding? This is the right time? Why Parker?" She was gasping for air as she tears streamed down her face. She wanted to yell, to hit him, throw things at him.

"I just… I didn't want to drag this out any longer." He tried to stay calm, to be strong as he watched her fall apart. There was more, more that he wanted to tell her but he wasn't sure if he should, afraid that if he told her that he was seeing someone else that it might tear her apart.

"Well perfect timing Parker…" She responded, wiping the tears away as quickly as she could but finding that it just wasn't fast enough because they were quickly replaced. She looked up at him, their eyes meeting for the first time and something told her that he wasn't telling her everything, that there was still something that he was hiding from her, she knew him well enough to know that. "What else?"

"What? Nothing…" He said, his eyes again glancing down, he knew she could tell that he wasn't telling her everything, that was one of the downfalls of knowing someone for four years and living with them for two.

"Don't lie to me Parker." She stood up and made her way to the kettle which was now whistling as the water boiled.

"There's someone else."

"Who is it?" She was angry now, it was fine if it hadn't been working, she could have forgiven that, but infidelity…

"Brenda." He said, standing up, reaching out to her.

"No. You don't get to comfort me, I want you out." She yelled, finally finding her voice as she quit crying. He wasn't worth crying over anymore, no, as soon as he said that there was someone else, that was enough, she had had enough.

"Buffy…"

"I said get out." She stood her ground walking over to the door and standing there was she watched him pack some things in his overnight bag. As she watched him she began to wonder where they had gone wrong, what had happened that had led them down this path. They had been friends before, she had been able to confide in him, to trust him and now, as she looked at him, she had no idea who he was anymore.

He stopped to touch her arm as he left but she shrugged it off, almost pushing him out the door and slamming it behind him. As she looked around, she realized that she couldn't stay there, she couldn't stay in that apartment, there were too many memories, memories that would keep her from ever moving forward in life, and that was something that she didn't want to happen.

She reached for the phone and glanced at the clock, midnight; it would be nine in California. She dialed the familiar number and listened as to the ring, and she found herself smiling as she heard her best friend speak.

"Hello?" Willow asked, wondering who was calling her at that time, that hour.

"Will?" Buffy choked again, the tears beginning to form again as everything settled into place.

"Buffy? What's wrong?"

"Parker…" She stuttered.

"Is he okay? Buffy what's wrong?" There was concern in her voice and it only made Buffy cry harder.

"He left…" She finally managed to get out. It was quiet for a long time as she cried, the only sound coming from Willow gentle whispers telling her that it was okay, that everything was going to be okay. It was after ten minutes that she was ready to finish. "He was having an affair…"

"Oh Buffy… I'm so sorry…" Willow said, trying to mask her anger with the man who took her best friend to the other side of the country.

"It's okay…" She sighed, looking around the empty apartment, she felt so alone. In a city as large as New York, she had never felt more alone. All her friends had been his friends, and now she was left with nothing. "It's just…"

"It's what?"

"It's lonely here now. It's been twenty minutes and I feel so out of place."

"Come back home to California."

"Will, I have a job here…"

"So quit. Come back here. You can stay with me and I know Dawn would be so happy to see you and you know Giles could find you a job. I mean you've been doing PR stuff out there, it's the same thing here. Maybe the firm you're with will even just put in a transfer for you. Come back here… There are plenty of people who love and miss you and would rather you were here instead of in New York."

Buffy sighed, she knew Willow was right. "I'll see what I can do… I'll ask them tomorrow."

"Call me as soon as possible. The room is already ready for you."

"Are you saying you expected this?"

"You told me a few months ago that you weren't sure about Parker anymore… I know you well enough to know that if it wasn't true you never would have said anything. I just wanted to be prepared, at the very least it would be a place for you to stay if you ever came to visit." Willow responded, hoping that it didn't change Buffy's mind. "Come back to California Buffy…"

Buffy felt the tears brimming at her eyes again, the compassion that her friend was giving her was phenomenal, and it was overwhelming, and it was exactly what she needed. "I'll be there by the end of the week…"

**A/N:  
Hey guys! So this is my attempt at fixing Asking for Trouble... It's going to be a bit different, but I think this is the way that I should have written it from the beginning... Let me know what you think! I hope you like it! **


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_One Month Later_

Buffy stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, her eyes scanning over her outfit, trying to determine if it was proper to wear on her first day at work. It was an in between job, something to pass the time during the day. When she had arrived back in Los Angeles, she realized that PR wasn't exactly what she wanted to spend the rest of her life doing; sure it was great to pay, she always got into the best clubs, but she wasn't passionate about it. The first few weeks back she had spent reflecting, figuring out what she was going to do with her life and it was at that point that she turned down the transfer she had asked for from her firm in New York. Never again would she ever work in PR, it just wasn't what she wanted to do.

Instead, she allowed Giles to send her on an interview for a local agency. It was only to be a temporary job, at least, until she figured out what she really wanted to do, something that would pay the bills; she had insisted that she pay half of the rent that Willow shelled out for the amazing apartment complex in the Hollywood hills. With her resume, it didn't take much convincing, it was clerical work, an assistant to one of the primary agents who had just lost his assistant to her marriage.

After accepting the job, she had googled his name to find out that he had brought himself up from nothing, and was one of the most sought after agents in Hollywood culture. Apparently, he was the man that everyone walked to work for. He had a reputation for being tough, but he was fair, treating his employees as an extension of his family. It wasn't until she did get to his family life, that she began to regret taking the job. The name hadn't rung a bell to her when she interviewed, and it should have. Patrick Liam McLaughlin had a son and a daughter, both of whom Buffy had been acquainted with back in her UC Sunnydale days, in fact, she had even considered his daughter one of her closest friends, but when she had moved with Parker to New York, she had dropped all her friends but Willow. Parker told her it was better that way, the less people to worry about back in California, the less she would miss it. And, it had been true for the most part, she had become so wrapped up in her life in the city that now that she was back in Los Angeles she hadn't even been able to recognize her friends father's name.

"Buffy!" She heard Willow call from the hall and she emerged from the room, her black heels in one hand, figuring that dwelling over the outfit wasn't going to change anything and if she continued to stand there she was only going to make herself late.

"What's wrong?" She asked, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a mug out of the cupboard before filling it with the coffee that had just finished brewing.

"Just making sure you were almost ready to get going." She responded, filling her own mug full of the hot, caffeinated beverage before taking a seat at the breakfast bar, her eyes landing on the dress that Buffy was wearing. "Wow, nice dress."

"Do you think it's appropriate?" She asked, smoothing her hands down the cerulean blue, Robert Rodriguez shirt dress. She had fallen in love when she had first laid eyes on the dress, admiring it's soft fabric, and the chic way in which the designer had interpreted the trend.

"Of course!" She smiled, looking down at her own outfit. Granted, she was still in graduate school so what she wore was not of great importance. "Excited?"

Buffy shrugged, placing the empty mug in the dishwasher before looking at her friend. "I just figured out who it is that I'm working for…" She started, watching as Willow raised her eyebrow. "Patrick McLaughlin… Cordelia's father… I guess more importantly, Angel's father. You knew all along didn't you?"

Willow grimaced for a minute. She couldn't lie, it was true that she knew, that she had known all along, but she had almost figured that Buffy had known all along as well. It's not like a reasonable person couldn't spot the likeness that Angel bore with his father. "I figured you knew… I mean, they both look so much alike…"

"Why didn't you tell me? What if I see him? Does he even work for his father? I mean, I figure he would…"

"No… He doesn't."

"Do you still talk to him?" Buffy said loudly, almost indignantly, after what he had put her through, after the lies… She couldn't believe that she was still in contact with him.

"No. But I do still talk with Cordelia, she was a little upset that you hadn't called her to tell her you were coming back. Regardless of what her brother did, or didn't do," she said the last quietly, almost inaudibly. "Cordelia was always one of your friends… She was the one to recommended you for the job by the way. Angel is still in school, law school, following his father's footsteps I presume… I do still see him on campus though every so often." She wanted to add that he always asked about her, always asked how she was doing, how New York was treating her. She also wanted to add that he had gone to New York shortly after her move there, he wanted to bring her back home, to confess his feelings for her, but he had refrained when he had seen her. She had looked so happy and the last thing he wanted to do was mess that up for her.

"Figures…" She grumbled. She knew Willow had a point, she should have called Cordelia, she should have treated her better than she had. She didn't disserve that. But she wasn't sure how Cordelia felt about her… So much had happened, and she didn't know how the past was going to affect the present. She looked down at her watch, noting the time and picked her purse up off the counter. "I should get going. Do you have time to have lunch?"

"I don't think my lunch schedule will correspond with yours. I have a class from noon to three." She lied. She knew Cordelia had been planning on stopping by the office and wanted to have Buffy to herself that afternoon.

"But it's Monday."

"I know… It's an additional class that I need, I don't really have much of a choice in the matter. My advisor recommended that I go, said it would help with my dissertation."

"Alright… Drinks tonight at least?"

"That I can do!" Willow smiled before wishing her friend good luck and watching her walk out the door.

_Later that afternoon…_

"How are you adjusting Ms. Summers?" She heard her boss's voice, startling her for a moment as she turned around in her chair to see him standing there, his eyes focused on her intently.

"Oh… Um. I'm good thank you." She responded. She was amazed now, as she looked at her tall boss, how she hadn't seen the resemblance before. Then again, she hadn't thought about him in years, and it wasn't really until she had the time for the information to stew that she was able to put two and two together.

"I had HR set this up for you. It is for company use, however you are welcome to make it your primary line. We encourage it. No use in carrying around two of them, they get pretty clunky. Besides, we like to reward our employee's and Cordelia assured me that you were extremely professional."

"Thank you Mr. McLaughlin." She said politely, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Buffy Summers! Is that you?" She heard her voice being called and as she turned from her boss she saw a brunette walking towards her with a brilliant smile plastered on her face. "How dare you come back into town and not tell me!"

"Cordelia!" Buffy smiled, standing up from her chair and walking towards her, finding herself in a hug. "I'm so sorry… Willow already gave me the third degree about it this morning. Things have just been a little crazy…"

"I know, I've heard all about it." She smiled before looking at her father. "Hi daddy! Do you mind if I take Buffy out to lunch?"

"Of course not. I have a meeting at One thirty Miss. Summers and will need you back by then to man the phones." He smiled, as she nodded, grabbing her purse from under the desk and walking back to where Cordelia was standing. "Oh and Cordelia, please tell your brother that I would like to speak with him when you hear from him next."

"I will daddy!" She smiled before grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her towards the elevator.

_Lunch_

She wasn't sure why she felt so uncomfortable but sitting there, her eyes scanning the patio at the Ivy. All around her she found herself recognizing celebrities and models, all sitting there chatting idly to their company. True, she had been to restaurants very much like it in New York, often on power lunches when she was trying to sign a new client but it was different here. Everything felt different. She kept scanning the crowd, hoping that she wouldn't run into Angel, that Cordelia had not planned on trying to make them talk. There was nothing to talk about.

"So what happened with Parker?" Cordelia pursued, she knew that she had to get as much information as she could. There was someone who was very interested in hearing what had finally brought the petite blonde back to California.

She put her fork down for a moment, and paused, looking up into the dark eyes of her friend. "He was cheating… Though I didn't find out about it until after he told me that he didn't want to get married after all. I feel like I should have known that something was up, but I was working so much that I didn't really have time to think about it."

"Willow had mentioned that you weren't even sure you wanted to get married to him…"

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't the truth… I guess we just grew apart and I thought getting married was going to solve everything." She shrugged. The more she thought about her life in New York, the more she hated who she realized she was becoming. "Now that I look back on it all, I hated who I was becoming. Parker was molding me into the perfect Upper East Side trophy wife… Had the mistress on the side too…"

"I'm sorry Buffy…" She responded, smiling sympathetically at her friend. She could tell that Buffy was still a ways off from being who she use to be. Her frame was smaller than normal, presumably because Parker thought she had to be a size 0 to fit into the New York lifestyle, her eyes reminded her of the way she looked when her mother passed away… But still, she could see her coming back to life, she had a soft glow to her skin, presumably for tanning by the pool, her hair was highlighted, and she had a small bounce in her step that had been missing when she had run off to New York.

"Hey, everything happens for a reason…"

"Cordelia! How wonderful to run into you here!" A voice interrupted their conversation and Buffy couldn't help but show the grimace. Hadn't anyone ever told this person that interrupting a conversation was rude?

She watched as Cordelia put on her fake smile. Buffy knew it immediately, it was something that she had tried to teach her but she was never really able to gasp it. Sure, she could be polite if she saw someone she didn't like but she wasn't one for acting like she liked the person. "Darla… How nice to see you." She stood up and hugged the blonde that had moved to the side of the table. "Darla, this is my very close friend Buffy… She just moved back here from New York. We both went to UC Sunnydale."

Darla narrowed her eyes as she looked at the girl before her. She had heard of her before of course, heard the conversations that Cordelia had had with Liam about her. But now, as she let herself look at the girl in person, she realized that there was no way Liam would ever fall for her again. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You too." Buffy said politely, but she remained sitting. There was something about her that Buffy didn't trust. True she was beyond beautiful, and if she could recall correctly, she thought she might be a model… No, she was a model who was trying to break into acting, if what she had read on Perez Hilton was correct.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt. If you happen to speak with Liam please tell him that I will be late to dinner tonight, I've been trying to call him all day but he must be swamped with classes today. I do recall him mentioning that you were having coffee later this afternoon."

"Of course. I'd be happy to let him know." She replied, watching as she walked away to the car that was waiting for her. "God I hate that bitch." She grumbled after she was out of earshot, causing Buffy to raise her eyebrow at her.

"Who is she?"

"Darla Sundstrom… She worked as a model for a while and now she's trying to get Daddy to get her a movie career. It's the only reason that she is dating Angel, and she cheats on him all the time. Daddy can't stand her, but because she is Angel's girlfriend he gave in."

"That's terrible." Buffy found herself saying, true she didn't care for Angel anymore, at least, that was what she was telling herself, she still didn't think people deserved to be cheated on. "Does he know?"

"Oh yeah… He knows. He just doesn't care enough I guess." Cordelia responded. "I mean, I think he just likes the attention that he gets. You know, dating a woman that almost every guy in the world wants to take to bed."

"I see he hasn't changed." Buffy mumbled under her breath, Cordelia only catching a few of the words but nonetheless it was enough to spark her attention. She looked down at her watch, it was nearing one fifteen and she would have to leave soon if she was planning on getting back to work on time. "Cordelia this has been great and it's been great to see you again but I have to get back to the office before your father's meeting. But listen, Willow and I are planning on going out for drinks tonight. You should come!"

"I'd be glad to! Do you mind if I bring along a friend?"

"Of course not!" Buffy smiled as she stood up. "We'll give you a call later?"

"That's fantastic." Cordelia smiled back, her mind already starting to plot. "I'll talk to you soon."

After Buffy was out of ear short, Cordelia found herself reaching for her phone that had fallen to the bottom of her purse. As she pulled it out she scanned the call log, finding the number that she was looking for and pressing send.

"Hello?" She heard his voice and she couldn't help but smile.

"Darla said she was having trouble getting a hold of you." She laughed, realizing that he was merely ignoring her calls.

"Yeah I know…"

"You really need to get rid of her Ang."

"I'll worry about that later. What's up? Are we still on for coffee this afternoon?"

"Can you meet me now?" She was eager to tell him the news.

"I assume we could meet now. I was only going to go to the library to do some studying anyways. Where are you?"

"The Ivy. Can you be at the Coffee Bean on Beverly in ten minutes?"

"I can do that. What's with you?"

"I'll explain everything later. I promise. See you soon!" She smiled hanging up the phone as she laid her credit card down on the table, hoping that she could find a way to bring her brother and friend back together. Or at least, get her friend to listen to the truth and not the lies that Parker had once told her.

**A/N:**

**Hey guys! So here is chapter one… Just setting things up for you… Thing will get to be more clear as the story progresses I promise you that. Just wanted to leave a note saying that this will most likely be my only update today so if you read Meet… You might not get an update until this weekend… I have a paper to write and about 200 pages to read regarding Constitutional Law and Public law… Fun stuff. I just wanted to say that I hope you like the story thus far, as you can see it is different than the first although the same problems are going to arise… I just feel like this was the way that I should have written the story to begin with! I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say about it!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Angel walked across the street and into the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, his eyes scanning the customers, searching out his sister. Seeing that he had beat her there, though he had no idea how that was possible since the Ivy was barely a block away, he walked to the counter and placed their usual order; a nonfat, sugar-free vanilla latte for her, and a cappuccino for himself. Grabbing the cups when they were placed on the bar, he walked over to an open table and sat down, pulling out one of his law books as he waited for her. He figured that he might as well use the time alone productively and seeing as there was never such a thing as over studying when it came to law, it was better to look over the cases than to sit there, staring out the window aimlessly. He couldn't keep his mind from wandering though, she had been so weird on the phone, wanting to meet a good two hours before they had intended on and he couldn't figure out why. Her voice had seemed almost urgent and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"I'm so sorry!" She said breathlessly as she plopped down on the chair, taking her cup into her hand and taking a long sip of it. "Were you waiting long?"

"Fifteen minutes maybe?" He shrugged, closing the book in front of him, watching as she glanced down at what he was reading.

"Property law, fun!" She said sarcastically, putting her cup back down on the table.

"Yeah you know me, barrel of laughs." He responded, leaning against the back of the chair, relaxing into it. His day had been pretty hectic for a Monday; his first year of law school was coming to a close and with finals and papers springing up from what seemed like nowhere, he practically found himself living in the USC library. "You sounded urgent on the phone. What's up?"

"I have some news…" She said slowly, a smile creeping onto her face.

"You and Doyle are finally tying the knot?" He asked, thinking that would be the only thing that would get her that excited. Though he hated to say it about his sister who he loved, she hadn't really done much since college but sketch her clothing 'designs' that never seemed to materialize into anything.

"No, silly… We haven't been dating long enough, besides, I'm twenty four, I want to experience life before I get married and am forced to become a baby making machine…" She shuttered at the word baby.

"That will be that day, my sister, having children…" He chuckled as he felt her hand slap his shoulder. "Come on Cordy, you know it's true, you can't stand the buggers."

"Those aren't MY children." She responded indignantly. "Besides, we're getting off topic. Guess who is back in town?"

He looked at her as if she was crazy; he had no idea what she was talking, who she was talking about. "I don't know."

"Guess!"

He rolled his eyes, he hated this game that she liked to play with him, she had been doing it to him since they were children. "Uh…" He racked his mind but couldn't think of anyone, was she talking about a celebrity? One of their father's clients perhaps? "Britney Spears?"

She shook her head in disgust, not understanding why he would have even said that. "Not a celebrity you idiot."

"Cordelia, really, I have more important things to do, so if you wouldn't mind just telling me… I'd appreciate it."

"Think, petite, blonde, green eyes?" She started slowly, watching as he stewed the words over in his mind, and for a moment she thought that he finally got it, as his eyes started to widen. "Moved away to New York two years ago with an asshole…"

"Buffy…" He spoke her name though it was barely audible, he couldn't believe what his sister was telling him. How could she possibly know? He had tried to ask her about her but she had always told him that they were no longer in contact, and he had seen Willow around but she had never mentioned anything. "Why? When? How? I…" His heart was racing in his chest as he thought about her, about the last time that he had seen her.

"How? Well, I'm assuming that she took a plane… When? About a month ago I think. She's been living with Willow in her apartment."

"Why?" He felt like the moisture from his mouth had been drained and his whole body seemed to change. He could feel everything, as though all his senses were heightened.

"She and Parker broke up… He called off the wedding and told her that he had been having an affair with one of his coworkers. Not that that information surprises me."

"Why are you just telling me now?"

"I only found out about a week ago when Giles called and asked me to see if I could find her a job at Daddy's firm… Which I did… Since Donna got married he needed a new assistant so I asked him to hire Buffy."

"So she works for dad?"

"Are you listening to me? That's what I told you." She rolled her eyes as she looked at her brother who sat there, his eyes gazed over as though he had just been told life changing news and she suspected that to him, it was. "Anyways, she started today so I went over there and dragged her out to lunch."

"What did she say?" He asked cautiously. Though he knew that he probably hadn't even been a subject in the conversation. He couldn't help but hope that he had been though, even the slightest bit of a recognition of his name would have been better than nothing though.

"She really just talked about Parker…" Cordelia watched as his face fell, he looked like he was going to cry and she tried hard not to laugh but this was exactly the reaction that she had been hoping for. She knew now why Angel kept Darla around, it had nothing to do with his love for her, no, she could tell that he pretty much despised her, but rather because she proved to be a distraction from his true feelings, his feelings for the blonde that had walked out on him before he even had the chance to explain himself. "She isn't getting back together with him. She was just telling me what had happened. We did run into Darla though. Or rather, she rudely interrupted our conversation. Can't say I liked the way she was glaring at Buff either."

"So, she's at the office now?" He asked, completely ignoring what his younger sister was saying.

"Yes but I wouldn't recommend going there just now, let her get through the day at work without the drama of having to see you."

"So I bring drama?"

"I'm just saying… Let her get comfortable, let her understand what is going on before you tell her the truth… Before we all tell her the truth. Without the asshole around he won't be able to manipulate her." She responded before finishing off her coffee. "But… No… That's probably not a good idea either."

"But what?" He asked, perking up just a little, but he watched as she just shook her head back and forth." Come on Cordy, but what?"

"I'm not sure it's a good idea… Just forget I mentioned it."

He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, probably a little more forcefully than he had intended but it caught her attention. "Geeze, I'm not sure I've seen you this riled up since she left for New York… We are all suppose to go for drinks tonight… I was going to have Doyle come and being that Doyle hasn't met her, I'm sure I could make it worth his while to pretend that he has never heard of her before… And he could just happen to have invited you without my knowledge…"

"You had that in mind all along didn't you?" He asked, shaking his head, trying hard to suppress the laugh that was building up within him.

"Just don't be late… Blow off Darla." Cordelia said smiling as she stood up from her seat, watching as Angel did the same.

"She doesn't want to see me Cordy…"

"Buffy doesn't know what she wants… Nor does she know what's good for her. That's why Willow and I are going to give her the push that she needs. I'll call you later and let you know where we are going." She smiled, before hugging her brother and walking out the door, leaving him standing there, worried that it was all going to blow up in their faces. Still, it had been two years since he had seen her, since he had left her there in New York and he was more than excited to see her again.

**A/N:**

Super short chapter I know and I apologize! I wanted to get something out before I go out... If I go out, it's still a bit up in the air really... Anyways, so just setting up a little more... If you couldn't tell there will be drama in the next chapter being that two people are going to be reunited and Buffy doesn't know the truth... I'll probably talk about what happened when he went to New York as well... But we shall see... I will be updating Meet You There if I do not end up going out tonight... So, be looking for that if you read that story as well! Anyways, I want to thank everyone for their reviews and for reading the story! Please continue to let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

She looked around the busy office and finally took a deep breath. She had been back for three hours and it was the first spare moment that she had to just, be. Between the phone ring for what seemed like every second, other partners dropped off papers, incoming faxes, preparing the next day's schedule, and of course, keeping a watch out to make sure that he was in the office, making his way to his father's office. She let herself relax into the chair, the first time letting her eyes take in the scene that was playing out before her.

Glancing to her right she saw another personal assistant, dressed, well, dressed inappropriately for work, at least, in Buffy's opinion. She took in the bleach blonde's short dress, hitting probably just above mid thigh, the makeup that was caked onto her delicate features, making her look somewhat like a lady of the night, and only then did she take in the way she flipped her hair as her boss sauntered past her. What disgusted her the most, was that she knew for a fact that the man was married, and she watched as he walked back out of his office after dropping off the stack of papers that he had in his hands and leaned his body against her desk, his hungry, lust filled eyes taking her in. She wanted to scream as she watched, wanted to throw up, wanted to tell the girl to have a little self-respect, but she couldn't really do that could she?

"Looking for someone pet?" She found herself smiling before she had the chance to whip around to see the face that the voice belonged to. She didn't need to see him to know who it was. Her jaw dropped as she took him in, clad in a suit, something she wasn't sure she would ever live to see. "Nice to see I haven't lost my touch." He wrapped her into a hug as she stood up. "I heard you were back in town."

"Look at you!" She smiled, pulling away from him as she stood there, her mouth still gaped. "I don't think I've ever seen in you anything but dark denim and leather! What happened to the old Spike?"

"Oh love, he's still in here." He said, pounding his fist dramatically against his chest, before opening his arms gesturing to the office. "I just work here."

"You?! Work here?" She thought she was surprised by the suit, but hearing that he worked at the office, that was something she never would have expected at all.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Uh… Last I checked, you and Liam Angelus, mortal enemies? Any of that ring a bell? I mean, it would make working for his father difficult wouldn't it?"

"Ahhh…" He smiled, leaning his weight on the corner of her desk. "Well… Things change."

"Things change?" She could feel her eye brows raise, waiting for him to go into more detail.

"Things aren't always as they seem pet." He shrugged.

"So you don't hate each other?"

"We've come to an understanding."

"Stop being so cryptic Spike!"

"You're getting your panties all in a bunch over a man that you hate? Why would that be?" He watched as she sat down in her chair, an exasperated sigh escaping the pout that he had once found so attractive. "Maybe someone is still helplessly in love with him?"

"It was a mistake Spike… I was caught up in the moment… So was he…" She lied to herself, but she wasn't sure that he was taking the bait as his eyes seemed to continue to burn into her, telling her that he didn't believe her. "It was a stupid semester abroad… It was a total mistake."

"Who are you trying to convince love? Me or yourself?" He watched as she rolled her eyes, knowing that he had pushed her too far. How could he tell her that the only reason that he had hated Angel in the past so much was because they were both so desperately in love with her? "So how is being back in California?"

She leaned her head back against the chair, contemplating the words. "It's different… Some days are more difficult than others. I guess I never thought I'd come back here, and I sometimes think that maybe I'm stuck, stuck in this rut that I'm never going to get out of."

He watched her carefully as she spoke, listening to the way her tone seemed to give it all away, how he was pretty sure he knew what she was going to say before it even was spoken. "Has Parker even called since you've left?"

"No." She said softly, both of them sitting in silence for a few moments before she continued. "I think that's what bothers me the most. I mean… The more I mull it over in my head the more I realize that we wouldn't have been happy, that if we did get married, that it probably wouldn't have lasted more than a few years… But what hurts is that he hasn't bothered to see how I am. I mean, he cheated on me!" She could feel the tears start to pool in her eyes and she watched as Spike shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to do. "It just almost feels like the past four years meant nothing. And it's not that I was innocent in it all… Rome especially… But… I don't know."

He shrugged. "Bastard doesn't deserve you anyways." Through her teary eyes, she looked up and saw him smiling down at her.

"Thanks Spike… You always know just the right things to say." She reached for a Kleenex, drying the corners of her eyes before the tears escaped, and threw the used tissue in the small trashcan under her desk. Her eyes glanced to the computer, noting that it was well past five now and she was officially off the clock. "I should get going… I'm suppose to met up with Willow to buy a new dress… But you have no idea how good it is to see you Spike."

"Well, I know how good it is to see you and we all know how much more fabulous that I am." He mocked, his hands making big gestures again. She liked the new him, liked seeing him happy. It was something that she couldn't remember seeing before, he seemed so at ease. But she watched as she composed himself again, his eyes serious. "Really though Buffy… It's good to have you back."

Her lip curved into a smile. "Stop by and distract me whenever you have time."

"Oh… I'll take you up on that offer. Let me walk you to the elevator?" He asked and watched as she nodded. Quickly, she turned the computer off before reaching under the desk and pulling her purse out. He maintained his stance on her desk as she popped her head into their boss' office, said her good byes and before he knew it she was standing in front of the desk, her hand on one hip as she waited for him impatiently.

"Sorry love, drifted off for a moment there." He moved beside her and as they walked they made absentminded small talk. There had been so much that had happened over the past two years that it didn't seem right to talk about it in the middle of a bustling office, when they talked he wanted to give her his completely undivided attention. As it was, he had things of his own to tell her, changed that he had made in his life, and a person that he desperately wanted to introduce to her. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yup."

"So they haven't scared you away yet?"

"You should know me better than that. It takes a lot more than greedy agents and whiny celebrities to scare me away."

"Good to hear it." He laughed as she stepped into the elevator. "Oh and Buffy?" He said as the doors started to close.

"Yeah?"

"Have a good night." He smiled, not getting her answer as she didn't have the chance to respond.

_Later That Night_

She studied herself in the mirror, her hands down the simple, black silk dress that she had put on, her eyes looking at her figure from each angle making sure that she looked just right. Though she didn't have any expectations for the night, she didn't think it would hurt if she took the time to make herself look good. After all, for the first time in four years, she found herself single and though she hated to admit it, she was lonely. But she gave up after ten minutes to join her friends, the last thing she wanted was to make them late because she was feeling slightly insecure about herself.

The bar was fairly crowded for a Monday night, at least, in her opinion, but it wasn't too full that she couldn't look around and take in her surroundings. It was soothing, not one of those bars that was filled with children, and the music, though not her favorite kind, was loud, but not so loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation. They found a table in the corner, and she sat down in the comfortable, black leather chair, her eyes looking around the dimly lit room, her eyes taking in the modern, sleek décor that filled the trendy lounge. She looked at the women who where there, their flawless make-up, tall, slim bodies that barely filled out their expensive designer clothes, though they still looked beautiful.

"So. You must be Buffy." She heard a soft Irish accent which caused her to look to the side. Not only had her drink arrived but so had Cordelia's boyfriend, well, at least she assumed it was Cordelia's boyfriend as his arm was resting securely around her waist, as though he was sending out a warning signal to any man who might think to try and touch her.

"That would be me." She smiled, sticking her hand out as he shook it.

"I'm Doyle." She liked him instantly. Though she was still baffled that Cordelia had even given him a second glance. It was probably one of the reasons that she liked him so much, it meant that he really must have cared enough about her to pursue her in the manner than he would have. But it was more than that, she could see that around him, Cordelia wasn't trying to be someone else. She just looked comfortable, and Buffy accounted that to the fact that Doyle loved her for who she was, not who he wanted her to be.

"It's great to meet you." She smiled warmly, taking her hand back and picking up the drink in front of her. She savored the taste of the pomegranate martini as she sipped it.

"It's great to finally meet you. This one talks about you all the time."

"Couldn't have been all good." Buffy smiled, she knew that it was the truth, she knew that she had hurt her friend when she had run off to New York and never looked back, never bothered to call or keep in touch.

"Well, you know." He shrugged, the last thing they all wanted was a serious conversation. "She mainly talked about how much she missed you." She smiled at him, letting him know she understood. "Oh, I hope you don't mind, I kind of invited my friend. He's been having a rough time and needed to come out. He should be here any…"

"Oh, my, god." Buffy said softly under her breath as he eyes glanced towards the door and the man that had just walked though. The rest of the table turned and saw what she had been looking at and Cordelia couldn't help but smile a little and hope that Buffy wouldn't stay mad at her forever. They kept their eyes on her, watching as she blushed a deep shade of crimson, or at least, they assumed she was, it was hard to tell from the soft red glow of the lights of the lounge.

She couldn't advert her eyes as she stared at him. Even after all these years he was still devastatingly handsome. It was something that she couldn't even deny back then but now, as she looked at the tight, dark jeans that he wore, and the black button down shirt that was stretched taught against his broad, muscular shoulders, she wasn't sure that he had ever looked as god like has he did now, standing in that club, making his way towards their table. Their eyes locked, and she realized that she wasn't breathing. Her mind was thinking at rapid paces, how much she wondered if he still smelled like ivory soap and spicy, aged wood; how much she wondered if his eyes were still just as dark and hypnotizing as they had once been; if his hands were still just as soft; if his lips could still hungrily attack her as they once had beneath the Roman sky.

"Hi Buffy…" He smiled as he reached her, ignoring the others at the table.

"Angel…" She whispered, realizing that all it took was one look and all that anger was out the window…

**A/N:**

**Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been a few days! I know I'm usually a really quick updater but things have been really busy... My friend and I decided on Sunday to nix work and drive up to the city... Good for relaxing, bad for the schedule... And I had a test today and a lot of reading and of course... That was kind of thrown out to the side because I finally gave into the Twilight craze and spent four hours reading the first book and now have to get the second one... Probably another reason why I haven't gotten any work done...**

**Anyways, I hope that you like this new chapter! And I want to thank everyone for their comments! I love to hear what you have to say! And if you read Meet You There... I'd expect an update tomorrow evening...  
**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Flashback – Rome, spring of 2005**

"I can't believe I'm finally here." She said her eyes gazing up at the dark sky. "I always knew I'd come here but now… It just seems so…" She was searching deep within herself to find the rights words but she couldn't.

"Surreal?" Angel asked as he looked down at her, watching the way her face lit with amazement, he could see just how much she was enjoying herself and that made him smile. He had known her since their paths had crossed almost three years ago, his sister having developed a deep bond with her when she started UC Sunnydale. From that first day, that first moment, he knew that there had been something different about her, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on, he knew, even then, that she was suppose to be part of his life. Now, standing there, all he could think about was wrapping his arms around her body and kissing the soft lips that he so often dreamed about.

"Exactly!" She beamed, looking to his face for a moment as her cheeks blushed a deep crimson. Embarrassed by her behavior she quickly looked away, her eyes now focused on the large fountain before them, lit and glowing.

He reached into his pocket and pulled a few coins out, taking one of her hands into his free one and putting the two coins in the palm of her hand. He smiled as she looked at him, her face giving away her confusion. "There is a theory that if you toss two coins over your shoulder into the Trevi fountain that you will fall in love and one day return to Rome. I've already done it of course but I wouldn't ever want to deprive you of that experience."

"Did you fall in love?"

"I'm working on that one." He flashed her a half smile, watching the color return to her cheeks. "Go one. I'll be right here." He watched, the smile even more prominent on his face as she turned away from him, he kept his eyes on her, watching as she walked closer to the fountain, making her way through the crowd of families and lovers who were enjoying the sights.

"Flower for the beautiful woman?" A merchant approached him, red roses in hand. Angel just smiled and nodded, handing him a euro coin in return for one of the roses. He knew that it wouldn't last long but he was hoping that she would like the gesture. No, he was hoping that he would love the gesture. True, he knew that she had been casually dating that punk Parker, but he thought that maybe this time he would be able to show her that he was the one who she was meant to be with. It amazed him that she still hadn't figured it out? Had she not felt the electric current that seemed to jump from his hand to hers each time that they touched? Could she not see straight into his soul when their eyes meet? He always felt that each time her green eyes met his own that she had the ability to strip him bare.

"What's that?" He had been lost in his own thoughts and jumped slightly when he heard her soft voice enter his ears.

"For you." She blushed and it caused him to smile. "Are you hungry?" She nodded and he motioned for her to move in front of him, his hand placed lightly on the small of his back. "We are right by the Via Veneto, my hotel suggested a few places, and I have to take you to Harry's."

"Okay." She smiled continuing to walk down the narrow alley, trying hard to ignore the currents that seemed to be pulsing through her body from his light touch on her back. Her mind unable to determine whether she wanted him to move his hand or leave it there.

_Later That Night_

"Are you having fun?" He asked, his voice a whisper in her ear, and she felt the chill that his warm breath on her neck sent down her spine.

"I am!" She beamed, leaning closer to him, realizing that her she was free from the constraints that had held her back from really allowing herself to love him. It was true that she had been attracted to him since they had met. But Cordelia had become one of her best friends and she wasn't sure what the boundaries were when it came to dating siblings. It was something she didn't have to worry about, her younger sister was much too young for any of her friends to date and it left her confused. They had always flirted, but she assumed that he never thought of her as anything more than a younger sister, his protectiveness of her, she always took it to mean the same thing as it did when he acted like that to Cordelia.

"Do you want another drink?" He asked, noting that her cheeks were already flushed from the alcohol. He wanted to make sure she had a good time yes, but he was afraid that she might take it that he was trying to take advantage of her. And he couldn't deny that he was hoping that the night might lead to that, that the night might lead to the start of the relationship that he had been longing for since he had first laid eyes on her, but he knew her. He knew that when it came to her, it would devastate him if she thought of him as only a European fling. He wanted more from her, he wanted all of her, forever.

"I think I've had enough." She smiled. "I still have a bit of a trek back to my hotel."

"Why did you bother to get a hotel when I told you I could take care of it?"

"I couldn't let you shell all that money out by yourself!"

"I wanted to take care of it all." He reached forward and brushed her hair off her forehead. "Cordelia told me how much you always wanted to come here. I wanted to let you have the full experience. Don't worry about the cost."

"I couldn't."

"You're family Buffy. My parents wanted to do it for you." For us… Well, that he added in his head. His parents adored Buffy, well, at least his mother did. His father wasn't around enough to have ever met her, and he knew how much his mother was trying to get them together, not that he minded. He could see the indecision on her face. "It's settled. Besides, I had your things delivered to the hotel anyways."

"Angel!" She shouted and playfully slapped his shoulder, causing him to grin.

"It's a huge room! You won't even know I'm there." He smiled, realizing that he knew she was okay with it. "Plus, I'm glad to know that you will be safe. Rome is a beautiful city but it's not necessarily the safest place."

"You little sneak. You knew the whole time that my things were never at the hotel that I booked…"

"Come on… Let's go to the hotel. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow." He placed a few bills down on the table and stood up, wrapping his arm protectively around her waist, something he never would have done had he not had the alcohol streaming through his blood system, and dropped a kiss to the crown of her head, not noticing the smile that had appeared on her face, and the sheer contentment that she was feeling at being in his arms.

**Present**

The bar was crowded, at least, that was the first thing that he noticed as he drove up, leaving the keys in the ignition as the valet came up and handed him a ticket that he thrust deep into his jeans pocket. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, unsure as to how the night was going to play out. He wasn't even sure he was doing the right thing, showing up like that. Surely she would be furious with them all. Doyle was a great friend yes, but a good liar he wasn't and he was sure that this was all going to blow up in his face. All he wanted to do was see her, talk to her, explain to her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at it before letting out a huge sigh. Another call from Darla. She had been furious with him when he had called to cancel their dinner plans. He stared down at the phone, he knew that if he didn't answer it she would continue to call all night until he walked through the door of their shared apartment, where she would then proceed to yell at him until she tired herself out.

He wasn't sure why all of a sudden she had become particularly clingy. In fact, of the reasons that he had enjoyed dating her in the first place was that she had been a bit of a change for him, it was a purely physical relationship, they would have dinner, have sex, and she, or he would be out a few hours later. Though, once the press had caught on that she had been regularly seeing someone, their relationship took a public step forward. Not something he wanted. He hated being photographed with her, hated being her official boyfriend. Though, he put up with it, afraid that he would hurt her, again, he wasn't sure exactly why, he knew that she wasn't exactly exclusive to him. He just figured that it was better to have someone around than no one at all. He never thought he would ever see Buffy again and now that she was back in his life, he knew he had to do something to get rid of Darla.

"Hello?" He said into the phone, resolving to answer it. The sooner he got it over with the better.

"Honey where are you?" Her voice rang out, it reminded him for a moment of nails on a chalk board.

"I'm meeting with Cordelia for a few drinks." He figured it best to leave out Buffy's name.

"Oh how wonderful. You ditch me to meet with your sister who so openly despises me."

"Her and Doyle had a fight. She's my little sister Darla."

"Well I'm your girlfriend!"

He groaned, fighting back the urge to say something mean, something that would effectively end their one year 'relationship' but he wasn't the kind of guy to do that on the phone. "I'm sorry. I've already apologized. I can't leave her alone though, not until she works this out with Doyle."

"Fine." She was curt, her voice only a manipulation and it was one that would have worked had he not been anticipating the beautiful blonde that he really loved who was sitting inside.

"I'll see you when I get back to the apartment."

"Bye." The line went dead and he groaned and shoved the phone back into his pocket before entering into the club.

He saw them sitting at a table off to the corner, already a few empty glasses on the table. His eyes finally fell on her, watching as her eyes locked with his own. He could feel his heart race, as he approached her, ignoring everyone else at the table.

"Hi Buffy." His voice shook with nerves as her eyes bore into him.

"Angel…" She whispered, breaking their gaze and looking at her friends who just stood there, Cordelia smiling at her plan that had worked.

"Oh… So you know each other?" Doyle asked, trying hard to keep his voice steady though it wasn't working, he was starting to laugh which was silenced as Cordelia slapped him.

"I can't believe you Cordelia!" Buffy shouted, thankfully the club had been crowded so the only people besides those at the table who heard the conversation were sitting within ten feet of them, and their eyes were on them.

"Buffy…" His voice was sad, pleading almost.

"I can't. I'm going."

"You're not sober enough to drive Buffy." Cordelia chimed in.

"Willow?" Buffy shot her a look, one that told her that she had to get out of there.

"I'll meet you outside." She responded, watching as Buffy turned and stormed out of the club. Her eyes moved to Angel who stood there, his face still shocked. He should have been expecting that, he had been expecting that, he just had that inner hope that it wouldn't have happened. "I'm sorry Angel…" She placed her hand on his shoulder. "She'll come around."

"I'm not so sure." He groaned, grabbing the drink in front of Doyle and swallowing it, wanting to be anywhere but there.

**A/N:**

Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update this story but things have been crazy! Anyways, just wanted to thank you for reading and for sending me your reviews! I look forward to seeing what you have to say about the new chapter! If you read Meet You There I'm hoping for a new chapter to be up tomorrow! Thanks again!


End file.
